BS Agricultural and Applied Economics

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Program Overview

The BS Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign combines economics, business, agriculture, data analytics and quantitative methods to prepare students to make informed decisions in agricultural and related industries. Students build a strong foundation in applied microeconomics, macroeconomics, accounting, statistics, data analytics and intermediate economics, while choosing a specialised concentration such as agribusiness, environmental economics and policy, farm management, finance, international trade and development, or public policy and law.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students establish their economics and quantitative foundation through ACE 100 – Introduction to Applied Microeconomics, ACE 123 – Introduction to ACE, and a Calculus option. They also study ECON 103 – Macroeconomic Principles and ACE 161 – Computer Concepts & Applications (or CS 105 – Intro Computing: Non-Tech), developing the economic, mathematical and computing skills needed for later coursework.

Year 2: The program becomes more analytical, with students taking ACCY 201 – Accounting and Accountancy I, ACE 262 – Applied Statistical Methods and Data Analytics I, and ACE 264 – Applied Statistical Methods & Data Analytics 2. ACE 341 – Careers and Professionalism also introduces professional preparation, while concentration courses allow students to begin developing expertise in their chosen area.

Year 3: Students advance their economic understanding through ACE 300 – Intermediate Applied Microeconomics and continue their concentration-specific studies. They also complete an international component through options such as ACE 411 – Environment and Development, ACE 435 – Global Agribusiness Management, ACE 436 – International Business Immersion, ACE 451 – Agriculture in International Development, or ACE 455 – International Trade in Food and Agriculture, giving the degree a broader global perspective.

Year 4: In the final year, students deepen their concentration knowledge through advanced and elective coursework while completing upper-level ACE/ACES studies. This structure allows students to tailor the final stage of the degree toward areas such as Agribusiness Markets & Management, Consumer Economics & Finance, Environmental Economics & Policy, Farm Management, Finance in Agribusiness, Policy, International Trade & Development, or Public Policy & Law.

Focus areas: Applied economics, agricultural economics, agribusiness, data analytics, quantitative methods, finance, farm management, environmental economics and policy, international trade and development, consumer economics, and public policy.

Learning outcomes: Students develop the ability to analyse economic problems, apply quantitative and statistical methods, interpret data, evaluate agricultural and business decisions, understand markets and policies, communicate economic findings, and apply economic principles to real-world agricultural and consumer issues.

Professional alignment (accreditation): The BS is an academic degree offered through the University of Illinois College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES), with curriculum combining economics, business, agriculture and quantitative analysis. The degree also includes ACE 341 – Careers and Professionalism and an international course or study-abroad option, supporting professional preparation and global experience.

Reputation (employability rankings): The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a major public research university, and the College of ACES connects students with an extensive agricultural and applied-economics academic environment. The program's combination of economics, analytics, agribusiness and professional preparation provides a strong foundation for careers across agriculture, business, finance, government and policy.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

The BS Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is strongly focused on learning by doing, allowing students to apply economics, finance, marketing, quantitative methods and policy concepts to real agricultural and environmental challenges. Students can gain professional experience through internships, independent research, industry networking, study-abroad programs and field-based learning, while the major’s quantitative focus develops practical skills for analysing complex economic and agricultural data.

Students also have opportunities to work with employers, participate in international business experiences and complete supervised research or internship projects for academic credit, creating a direct connection between classroom learning and professional practice:

Internships: Students can complete ACE 293 – Off-Campus Internship or ACE 294 – On-Campus Internship. Major-related internships can be connected to a faculty-supervised research project or report and may earn 1–4 academic credit hours.
Career preparation: ACE 341 – Careers and Professionalism exposes students to recent graduates, recruiters and industry professionals and helps them prepare for internship and job searches.
Independent research: Students can gain hands-on research experience by working with faculty on independent research projects, including research connected with an internship.
International Business Immersion: ACE 436 – International Business Immersion provides a faculty-led international learning experience and is one of the options available for fulfilling the program's international-course requirement.
International study: ACE students have travelled to destinations including Washington, D.C., New Zealand and West Africa to examine how agricultural systems and policies affect communities.
Field-based learning: ACE 292 – Farm, Food & Environmental Policy includes a week-long trip outside Illinois, where students meet farm, food and environmental leaders involved in major policy issues.
Industry networking: The major provides opportunities to network with industry leaders and managers, helping students connect their economics training with professional practice.
Quantitative tools: Students use quantitative tools to analyse complex data and develop career-ready skills in economics, finance, marketing, quantitative methods, and agricultural and environmental policy.
Study-abroad and research opportunities: ACES offers 50+ study-abroad programs worldwide, including programs with internships and supervised research opportunities that may be completed for academic credit.
Team-based learning: ACES explicitly integrates experiential learning that develops teamwork, real-world problem-solving and communication with professionals, giving students skills that employers value.
Career and internship facilities: Students can use the ACES Career Center, located in 115 ACES Library, for internship guidance, employer connections, résumé and cover-letter support and career planning.

Progression & Future Opportunities

The BS Agricultural and Applied Economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign prepares students to use economics, business and analytical skills to address real-world challenges in food, agriculture, finance, markets and public policy. The program can lead to careers across agribusiness, finance, consulting, government and policy, while also providing a strong foundation for graduate study.

Typical career opportunities include:

Agricultural Economist
Agribusiness Analyst
Commodity Merchandiser
Financial or Policy Analyst

The program can support career progression through:

Career services: The College of ACES provides career-development resources and graduate destination information, helping students connect their academic preparation with employment and further-study opportunities.
Employer opportunities: Recent Illinois agricultural economics graduates have moved into roles with organisations such as The Scoular Company, CNH Industrial and Verdant Partners, demonstrating opportunities in commodity merchandising, agricultural business and related management roles.
Salary potential: Illinois' published graduate destination data reports a three-year average salary of $60,667 for its Farm Management concentration and $52,500 for Finance in Agribusiness. These figures are concentration-specific rather than a single salary figure for the entire Agricultural and Applied Economics major.
Industry-relevant skills: Students apply economics, management, accounting, marketing, policy and finance to food, agriculture and consumer-related challenges, giving them transferable analytical and decision-making skills for business and policy careers.
Professional pathways: The department's graduate placement examples include roles such as Grain Merchandiser at Archer Daniels Midland, Agricultural Investments Research Analyst at MetLife, Financial Analyst and Economic Researcher, illustrating the breadth of opportunities available in agricultural and applied economics.
Graduate-study pathway: Illinois offers both an M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics and a Master of Agricultural and Applied Economics (MAAE), allowing bachelor's graduates to continue into advanced economic theory, quantitative analysis and applied research.

Further Academic Progression: Graduates can progress to the M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics, Master of Agricultural and Applied Economics (MAAE) or, with the appropriate preparation, the Ph.D. in Agricultural and Applied Economics. The Ph.D. offers specialisation areas including agricultural finance, environmental and natural resource economics, farm and agribusiness management, international and policy economics, agricultural marketing, and regional economics and public policy, making it particularly suitable for students targeting advanced research, university, government or specialist economic careers.